kittn

A friendly way to start the weekend

2012-01-27T19:44:00.001Z

New Hug for Christina

Hugging is scientifically proven to make us stronger, prettier, better. I could write a whole essay about it, but instead I ~~dare~~ invite you to hug the first person you see around.

The same group of scientific experts pointed out that kittn T-shirts make your day absolutely special.

A few of the many who dared:

Roxana

Andreea

Simona + her brother

The day we all smiled

2012-01-23T22:55:00.000Z

We wanted to have some fresh air + a picnic so we went to Marechal Carmona Park. We sat on the grass and while we were enjoying a bit of sun, we saw a lady smiling at us. I waved and she came along with her son: they were Petra + Max.
Then, she sat with us and we talked that talk when thoughts and words come easily.
I don't know if it was just a brief connection or it was the beginning of a beautiful friendship, but I felt great.

That happened just after I was thinking there is rarely kindness between walkers by. Most people live under this pressure I-don't-know-who imposed, that the others may be potential enemies instead of assuming they are potential friends. Often, but what am I saying often it's practically every day, our paths cross and our eyes meet rather in emptiness than in grace and good intentions.

So I'm guessing the universe whispered hey, kittns, there is still hope for sympathy, tenderness and good will + our encounter would have never happened if I stayed home. I'm making a note to myself and you can take this advice too: go outside more, focus on the positive, be open.

Good people will come to you.

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Everything changes

2012-01-04T18:04:00.000Z

Last year's Christmas paper tree upgraded with decorations from Bo3mia.com

Online, finally. We connected to a Hot Spot for now, it's starting with Friday that we'll have a permanent internet connection. kittns prepared a lemon tea and we're taking a trip through the mighty world wide web.

So how have you been? Have you enjoyed the New Year party? Well, we had ours in bed and here is how.

When I was a kid my biggest wish at New Year's was to stay awake for as long as I could, long enough to even see the reruns on TV, if possible. My eyes were closing as I was unfailingly falling asleep around 1 am each year. Good thing I was on at midnight!

Then, several years later I made it, I managed to stay awake. In my years as a party girl I could stay awake even more than 24 hours, the uncomfortable high heels helped anyway.

Time went by and here we are, present time. On December 31 we went to bed and we fell asleep a little before midnight. We held each other tight, just in case we couldn't kiss like sleepwalkers. I forgot about the TV shows, dancing and champagne, I never wanted so much to stay home and spend New Year's in bed. And sleep, by all means.

The next day we continued just as relaxed. Still in bed, as our pyjama party for three was awesome. Our kid smiled to us, we played with him, we sang, we studied our face expressions, we made plans, had doce de leite ice-cream (just Sean had plain milk :-) and had rounds of sleep.

And just like that we discovered new ways to enjoy the New Year's, of course with lots of love + positive thinking on our side. Welcome, 2012!

Sean and I, Cascais boardwalk

Dear diary

2011-12-16T20:18:00.013Z

It's 8.05 pm and Sean fell asleep (our bed is the best). No, no, not for the night, he's waking up every three or four hours to eat and he's a bit restless cause of the ~~damn~~ colic. We already started an intensive massage campaign against these pains + patience + of course love.

Days go by so fast and they lost their conventional definition, we no longer have tuesdays or saturdays... Perhaps you can live without this information but I succedeed to do my nails two days ago. While in train.

Today I could even work (how I missed it). Our baby wasn't bothered at all by Ophelia (for those of you who walked in late, I'm talking about our sewing machine).

Getting back to Sean, you should know we have plenty of things to do: besides eating (like there's no tomorrow), being diapered and dressed in pastels, we also walk along the coast, we dance with dad, take baths and almost spa treatments + massages. Oh, the good life!

I watch his sleep. In this crazy crazy world, through fixations and illusions he is our chance to stop and shout that miracles do exist!

It's almost 9 pm and I'm wondering what to do first (this rush is becoming a habit). Should I shower? Prepare dinner? Steal an hour's sleep? Write to friends?...

Marco sleeps next to me. He's got chores under his pillow, too. And everything revolves around the little man who sleeps peacefully trying out his first smiles...

It's 9.10 pm. (yawn)... Sleep well!

Sean + fluffy clouds (hand crafted toy made by Anca)

Hand painted pillow by kittns, one of the latest works

More gifts from Anca, earrings, Christmas decorations, magazines + such awesome packaging

Dirty dancing, handpainted children's bag by kittns

Welcome to this world, Sean!

2011-12-06T10:58:00.008Z

November 24. Around noon I arrived at Cascais Hospital with painful contractions and made another CTG. The obstetrician said the labor hadn't started, so I went back home... unfortunately the pains went on every ten minutes like clockwork. I managed to have lunch and and be a bit around, but I couldn't finish the bags + pillows I was creating for our wonderful clients and friends. (You know me, even in these intense moments I was still thinking about kittn...)

At night I went back to the hospital, where I stayed until morning. The contractions went on all night, it was terrible. At 9.30 am I was taken to the delivery room and the cesarean procedure started. Everyone was professional and cool, the anesthesiologist talked to me all the time... I was a bit scared, but I haven't realized when I heard her saying já está. The radio played Don't stop me now by Queen. Then it took forever until I heard his voice! Actually it was more like a very tender cry, two times and then another eternity until our eyes met for the first time.

It was a unique magic moment that I will never forget. I fell in love at first sight, even if I already loved him. Thank you for existing, Sean!

Later edit: A million thanks you all our friends who give blessings + good vibes here, on our Facebook page and everywhere: we are all connected, we are one big family!

Custom penguin T-shirt

2011-11-20T21:13:00.006Z

Our friend Andrada wrote that she received the package, so now we can unveil the surprise T-shirt (she also said her day would be awesome just because they arrived in the morning, hehe).

For this last tee, she asked me to create something inspired from her site. Well, its previous name was the queasy penguin and that's even related to how we met, she wanted a penguin tote bag. The penguin is back and this time got straight to her head, often playing tricks + allowing her to be a kid.

Have a full wonderful week, kittns + penguins!

Beautiful friend...

2011-11-17T19:01:00.006Z

... honors kittns every time she wears her Soldier of love T-shirt, or just writes to us a happy inspiring letter.

Also, check her stunning feminine creations, from Munich with love.

An endless summer

2011-11-17T18:30:00.009Z

I know in most countries people are making preparations for winter holidays, including inventing awesome warm layered outfits in the sweet colors of autumn, but our friend Anca has just spent her holidays in Tenerife... She packed two of her personalized kittn T-shirts and look, she simply rocked them so I couldn't resist sharing the photos with you...

...And hopefully sending joy for a new day along with her special bright smile.

PS. kittn in the park T-shirt is a bit older but holds a love story, imagine she was wearing it when she met him!

It's the final countdown ta na na na

2011-11-17T17:08:00.006Z

It's raining and I think autumn is finally here, or could be even winter as it will constantly rain for the next three months + even the temperature won't go below 10 degrees.

My baby is kicking and rolling and dancing and hiccuping and it feels like ages since I first felt the butterfly wing sensations in my belly. He's got a strong will that makes me think my body is not mine anymore or it's just to rent.

I won't lie and say it's all peaches. I feel very heavy and slow lately, especially when I do things that used to take minutes and now take hours. The fact that you can't tie your own shoe laces can be frustrating, too. Watching helplessly how your body changes, having mood swings, feeling like you don't have a clue about anything anymore... Uhm, have I mentioned the back pains? :-)

But the good part, oh the good part is that it's all amazing beyond words. You don't have to trust me, just try it!

There is just one week left. Regarding the previous post we wrote about time... It's really hard not to run to the future. From worries of missing stuff like chairs or carpets at home, or that we might need an extra blanket or basket or... whatever, to imagining the first moments with the baby it feels like the biggest adventure so far, honestly.

Thanks to ceiling cat for my friends that are helping + caring + positive! My admiration and love go to all women who travel this road of motherhood, of course beginning with my mom + my dear friends who have babies.

Also, to the wonderful women who make it home safely carrying babies and groceries, to moms who don't have the luxury of a washing machine or another item we might be taking for granted, to working moms, single moms and student moms, thank you for keeping on loving your children and yourselves.

3, 2, 1...

Handcrafted baby cat T-shirt

2011-11-17T16:39:00.004Z

With a touch of turquoise + pink, available by request whether humanz have been on the moon or not.

The time is now

2011-11-09T19:28:00.004Z

Here's a simple + true idea I stumbled upon the other day when I watched the movie Midnight in Paris.

We tend to be unsatisfied with the present and always imagine the past was better, so we escape or seek refuge going back in time. But the thing is it's normal that the present is a bit challenging as life itself is rarely colored pink. What we fail to notice is that once we go back to live in that desired past time, it becomes present so we would try to escape that too eventually. Therefore living in the past makes no sense, it would be Sisyphus's work to catch that perfect moment.

I say this is also true for running to the future. We spend our lives projecting, planning, waiting, anticipating a perfect time that never comes. If for seconds we might feel we reached that time, it becomes present and we find ourselves in search of new wishes and ideals again. So living for the future is illusory too.

It's natural to go back sometimes, remember or search for causes. It would be tough living without a memory.

Looking ahead, hoping and building are natural too. We would be miserable without our dreams.

But what's better than this moment? After all, it's just living an eternal present that we sometimes like to call past or future.

Head in the clouds, custom order for a special woman pilot.

Once upon a friend

2011-11-07T17:23:00.008Z

Her name is Andrada, she's recently (happily) married and I kind of played their matchmaker two years ago.

She is also very creative and fun to be with as every time we met I got that feeling of making myself comfortable in my seat anticipating the lovely stories. She is the person to always surprise you with something even if just an insight. Have I also said she's very resourceful?
I can see myself in her a lot, although I haven't showed my feelings until now.

We chat sometimes, but even if our encounters are rather rare I'm sure she knows I appreciate her a lot.

I was inspired to create her own character in a kittnish style and tired to reveal wit, innocence, curiosity, humanity, understanding. Oh, and her amazing eyes!

Then, kittns helped sew + paint the T-shirts according to her requests. The last one is a surprise (like always I don't know if the package arrived yet, so I'll post the photo later on).

We thank you from our hearts for wearing our stuff, Andrada!

Imagine... there's no money

2011-11-01T18:23:00.007Z

In my searches for an affordable baby bed I stumbled upon a site, found a good seller and wrote a message. So far so good (and normal, you might add).

Leonor wrote back telling me she checked our site, was impressed... And here is where the cool part of the story begins: she said she didn't want money for the bed, but instead I could create T-shirts for her and her twins!

Wasn't that awesome? I immediately started to think how nice the world would be if we went back to exchanging items + services.

Then one thing led to another and I began to wonder how our lives would be like if one wouldn't have five cars meanwhile another is struggling for tomorrow. Do we really need to pay to live on the planet that we were born? How about paying for water + gas, are those companies sharing their earnings with our beloved Earth? Am I really in a financial crisis when I afford dinner tonight while people in another country actually die of hunger? (can you really imagine how that feels? are their lives less precious than mine? what does equal opportunity really mean?)

We're here, we're OK!

2011-11-01T16:36:00.008Z

Hi cats, long time no see.

I use the internet for a few hours a day normally, but our new home is not connected yet.

I'm glad I took some time away from the computer - first of all I cooled down with the never ending I could never draw as amazingly as she/he does syndrome that I always have while browsing flickr, pikaland, etsy, etc so I've been feeling more inspired + secure lately.

Other than that I actually did things, like working to finish new T-shirts, arranging the house, cooking, writing longer messages to friends but most of all enjoyed being with my sweethearts, big baby Marco + small baby that is almost here (35 weeks and counting...).

The only thing that I missed was writing here as often as I had ideas but maybe it's for the better as I'm in a phase when I'm learning more about quality + quantity.

I don't know when we will be connected at home, but for now I'm using WiFi at internet cafes so be sure your message gets to us.

In the next days we will talk about how to get friendly with spiders, how it would be if money wouldn't exist, hand crafted personalized T-shirts of course, a random day with kittns, a bit about pregnancy and many more. So don't miss out and please write whenever you feel like saying hello.

Speaking about kittns, here is lovely Adina wearing Soldier of love T-shirt, hat from personal wardrobe + colorful autumn leaves + lots of the most beautiful emotions in the world!

Plus the hot 1 + 1 = 3 promo continues in November, yay!

Mommy + daughter personalized T-shirts

2011-10-17T21:08:00.008+01:00

The photo above is a glimpse of the new T-shirts we invented for Val mommy + Daria princess. Dear Val is expecting again and she wanted something to always symbolize their connection, to let her daughter know she is precious and unique.

Val is an artist herself and she does a lot of amazing things like working with a huge range of materials from clay to natural flowers for example, styling weddings, hosting creative workshops for kids + parents and many other wonders.

But why did we say new T-shirts? Well, it's because once in four years it happened: the first T-shirts got lost in the post. As we waited and waited and they still didn't find their way to Val, we've made others and changed the colors a bit, making them look even more cheerful.

But here are photos of the lost T-shirts:

We can't wait until they finally arrive... we can almost hear Daria's happy laughter and feel Val's joy when she hugs her.

And that's how the story goes, with a mommy and her beloved princess, adventures in Postland and kittns that work to make their amazing friends dreams come true...

Handcrafted ballet tote

2011-10-15T18:19:00.005+01:00

Rosário and I met at the handmade fair 2 weeks ago in Lisbon. She had a special order for kittns: a tote bag for her 6 year old daughter.

The best part is it wouldn't be just another cute tote bag, but the little princess will carry... her ballet outfit in it! I did nine years of dancing myself so I got thrilled creating it (gosh, I'm so happy as if the tutu inside were mine :-)

Her favorite colors are yellow + turquoise so I tried to use the last one as much as I could, even on the inside. The bag is entirely handmade, starting from ~~sketch~~ scratch.

I hope she will have tons of fun dancing and the bag will make a lovely memory to hold after years...

Hope you enjoy it too!

1 + 1 = 3 'get it while it's hot' promo

2011-10-13T11:08:00.003+01:00

Hi, cats.

This fall we present you with the best offer there is: for each two items you order you get one more! It goes for t-shirts (short or long sleeved) + bags + goodies, you name it.

The promo is valid until the end of October. Even if you don't want your goodies right away but let's say before Christmas, you can book your order in advance.

If you are a friend you know already that each order comes with a extra special handcrafted gift.

It's simple: write all your wishes at cristina@kittn.net and get your personalized unique clothing and accessories.

Needless to say kittns and I can't wait to hear + create what have you been dreaming about lately. Don't take our word for it, try us!

Meows!

PS. All goodies are handmade, hypoallergenic + not tested on cats or other animals :-)

How to make a baby blanket

2011-10-11T11:25:00.006+01:00

Before revealing the surprise project I've been working on, I want to say a few words about the last ~~hectic~~ days.

So we finally found a home and we already moved some stuff especially my mobile kittn corporation, that's why I was there yesterday working but actually breathing, listening to the silence, enjoying time alone... have I already said breathing?

Needless to say yesterday passed in a second.

I felt very calm, comfortable, all in all having again those feelings of something being just right. Not mentioning I was very inspired and motivated to work!

The apartment is a small studio with a big kitchen that I can somehow separate in two, arranging a work space. It's not completely furnished yet so it will tke a while until everything is into place, but you know what I loved?

The sun shines there all day, the windows are as big as the walls + the light plays all day letting me enjoy a wonderful sunset at the end of each day, just like the little prince wished.

And speaking of a little prince, here's the latest invention: a bright colored (I told you I felt happy in the new home) baby blanket that can serve as a cover or as a play mat.

I calculated that being about 80 x 90 cm it will have 12 (20 x 30 cm) pieces of fabric accordingly so I cut + sewed them together.

I created the felt animals + hearts separately, then I stitched them onto the fabric. For the other (warm) side of the blanket I chose a very thick fleece piece in bright turquoise.

I sewed the parts together, then brought them on the right side and finally stitched a line along each side creating a firm margin.

So this is it, a very cute easy to make baby blanket. If you have any questions or wish to use the same patterns, drop us a line anytime and we'll e-mail you the instructions.

Kisses + hooray for freedom, joy and new homes!

Work in progress... what could it be?

2011-10-09T21:35:00.006+01:00

Women's fashion T-shirt + charms

2011-10-03T19:49:00.005+01:00

Raluca was the first to request the Women's Fashion T-shirt. In fact I've painted two - one for herself and another for her lucky sister. You can see the original cats drawing here as an ~~undeniable page of history~~. I guess the T-shirt turned out fine, what do you think?

The charms above are... hm well, I'd better keep it a surprise for now as I don't know if the two lovely sisters are reading this :-)

Wishing you a happy week!

Deco lavender pillow

2011-10-03T18:41:00.001+01:00

Hot or not?

Together T-shirt

2011-09-26T16:43:00.004+01:00

We want to advance a new t-shirt following an idea we had over two years ago (wonderful model posing here), but because it's about being together + sharing love we think it's never out of fashion.

This time we painted using another technique for a watercolor softer look, we added tulle to make it more romantic, but we kept the felt heart you can fondle while thinking and waiting for your loved one.

Enjoy!

Feira Na Fábrica

2011-09-26T16:16:00.005+01:00

Hello Monday, hello cats. How was your weekend?

We've been attending a fair in Lisbon yesterday so it was all good: kittns saw awesome stuff other cool people invent + had delicious home made cake. We had a wonderful time along with our amazing ~~public relations manager~~ Marco and new friends we met.

Here are a few photos... here's a bit of sunshine to begin this new week!

Unique handmade bags

2011-09-23T14:16:00.017+01:00

Here they are, so fresh so clean :-)

Finally, the brand new goodies we have been preparing for you: a small but precious range of entirely handmade tote bags (or how kittns like to call them chillin' bags).

They are mainly made of cotton canvas + cotton hand painted/hand sewn bits + they are double sided but light, perfect for carrying agendas, magazines, plush toys, the cool skirt you just bought and even dreams.

Each piece is one of a kind declaring and spreading important messages to the world. We created with all our hearts.

They will be soon available for sale in our online superstars boutique, but you can always request details + order at cristina@kittn.net

So which one speaks to you?

Be the change you wish to see in the world

Fairytales are true: they tell us dragons can be defeated

If you can dream it, you can do it

When you judge others you don't define them, you define yourself

Today is a gift, that's why we call it present

Trust yourself, you know more than you think you do

New friends joining our team

2011-09-23T13:10:00.004+01:00

In between all the running around + struggle in finding an apartment to rent on a budget, difficulties + bad news about M's job (hey Universe, it's time to reveal your master plan already), thinking + inventing ways to keep kittns working without much assets (remember I was telling you about how the sewing machine disappeared) ... well, love conquers all cause look what I got from my baby!

Her name is Ophelia and she sews perfectly. She can even embroider a bit, double stitch and work out a lot of things I don't know how to use, but now I have the motivation to learn.

I like you a lot, Ophelia! :-)

Illustrating women's fashion

2011-09-10T19:03:00.005+01:00

... but it all went confusing after the year 2000 and I couldn't choose one representative style.

Any suggestions?

Nobody puts baby in a corner T-shirt

2011-09-08T14:49:00.006+01:00

Let's make it a romantic weekend with a new T-shirt inspired by the one and only Dirty Dancing.

The movie had everything sweet and more: summer vacation love story, pretty dresses, awesome music + dancing, the wonderful performance of the late Patrick Swayze who uttered the now-classic line Nobody puts Baby in a corner meaning we're all free to pursue our goals and dreams. No matter if others call us idealistic or try to stop us, no dream is too big as no dreamer is too small.

So this weekend wave your hands up, sing or dance passionately if you still believe that generosity and honesty can conquer all, true love clearly exists and a wave of heat fills your heart when you imagine all your dreams can come true...

Help, my sewing machine is gone

2011-09-07T21:21:00.006+01:00

Hello beautiful people.

As you've been waiting for the goodies I promised and they didn't show up, I owe you an explanation + apology.

The thing is kittns haven't been able to finish their latest work (yes, blame it on them) because the sewing machine they were working on... disappeared. Long story short, we were using the machine the landlady lent us until one day last week when we entered our room and it was gone. I will refrain from ~~&*%#@%&$~~ making comments for now, but I'm really sorry for this awful event that delayed the work.

Kittns and I are currently saving money to buy a sweet darling of our own soon, which no one will take away anymore. Just so you know when you are ordering t-shirts or other goodies, almost everything goes to the sewing machine fund.

Until then please accept Sewing is my art free card, an original drawing pencil on paper + red thread handmade stitch.

Kisses and many thanks for your understanding.

The most complete pregnancy guide

2011-09-04T22:33:00.017+01:00

You are a miracle. Each second we live is a new unique moment that's not going to happen again... And what do we teach our children? We say two plus two equals four and Paris is the capital of France. When are we going to teach them what they are? We should have said to each one of them: you know what you are? You are a miracle. You are unique. There has never been a child like you, with the same legs, with your arms, your agile fingers or the way you move. You are able to become all that you want to be. Yes, you are a miracle. And when you grow up, would you really hurt another one like you, another miracle?

I found this introduction in an Anne Geddes book I bought ~~on a huge sale~~ on Saturday. I was so happy to finally own a glimpse of her work that I carried the book with the excitement as of discovering a precious treasure chest.

There is not much to say when it comes to miracles. You feel a miracle, you praise it, you dream about it and wonder. You just can't put much into words and that is why each time I wanted to write here about carrying a baby - moods, fun facts and even pregnancy eating habits - everything faded away making room just for life to go on and grow.

If you are already a mom you know, if you will be one you will know everything is a personal experience, an intimate journey. To all, I have one suggestion to make: listen to your bodies + inner voices + intuitions, they are the best manual you've got. Eat what you need to eat, wear what you want to wear, cry when you need to cry.

One of my best friends had her baby last week. It seems just yesterday we were in school. Now I look at her looking at him and I can see the miracle is there in her eyes too.

And it's only the beginning...

Photos from www.annegeddes.com

Teaser/ handmade goodies for being a superstar without taking it too seriously

2011-08-31T07:05:00.007+01:00

Our latest work is entirely made by hand: dyed, sewn, painted one of a kind items for unique you. We faithfully added a lot of love not only in the making, but also in the message.

Be close (and we don't mind very close, like stuck) to see the new collection in a couple of days.

Soon, my precious. :-)

Ocean T-shirt

2011-08-30T07:58:00.006+01:00

Hello from near the ocean.

You might think this is a ~~long-winding~~ descriptive post about how beautiful the sights are on this Portuguese coast. It's not.

If you visit kittn blog you already know it's all about human nature.

These days I've been focusing a lot on how much time of our lives we waste with intrigues, unhealthy games + complications instead of experiencing, discovering, living and actually honoring the place.

We judge and we hate without even trying to see more than what meets the eye. We always wait for another to make a change first.

Here near the ocean everyone has positions, statuses, education, hierarchies, grades.

But the funny thing is when you look down they all have sand on their feet.

What a girl wants

2011-08-27T19:40:00.005+01:00

Hi superstars, I hope you are having a great weekend.

We've all seen movies, heard songs, enjoyed pranks + jokes about what women think or want or need. I stress on the last part because no matter how you ask the question, the answer is the same.

Love is the answer.

Even if we call it fashion or putting on make-up, going to work or staying at home, walking down the street or chilling on a sunbed, girls think about love. We move, we groove, we shake, we break, we fight, we try, we cry, but we all need to be loved.

There it is, we solved the big mystery. So I was inspired to create this light weight t-shirt in a very feminine cut, showing the continuous love we feel for everything, no matter if hurt or broken.

I hope you like it and I wish lots of love to us all.

PS. I recently heard a saying and I liked it, it went something like the best thing that you can do for your kids is to love their mother. What do you think?

Unique custom t-shirts

2011-08-23T23:21:00.007+01:00

I was saying to Anca the other day that I rarely post very personalized items created here in our kittenish workshop. For most of them I haven't even taken photographs over the years, that's how excited I was to send them to their rightful owners.

My dear friend advised me to show the works as special stories are always nice to read.

So today we present you t-shirts that belong to a courageous, very energetic woman who, among other things, takes flight lessons and is a part of a expedition group. She loves to have her head in the clouds (literally), so kittns drew a cute playful plane and fluffy clouds on a blue t-shirt.

As for her big love for mountains, we painted an adventurous but confident girl always conquering another cliff, as for the third t-shirt below, we sewed an edelwe iss flower over a big heart made of tulle.

In the end, more than the work itself that I highly enjoy I feel honored to be a part of the story, to make a contribution and share a moment + space in time.

A few ideas on journeys + dreams

2011-08-17T14:23:00.015+01:00

Hello kid.

Today I want to take you on a journey back to fantastic adventures, in a time when magic and possible existed as a daily reality, not only in fairy tales.

I want you to take a second and remember when we were kids we never feared that snow brick wall we built was going to fall down, we never worried the dolls we played house with were eventually going to break up. We just played, we just lived.

The only novel written for children

I read a brilliant book when I was about 13 (that's almost two decades ago). It's called In Desert and Wilderness and it tells us an ever true story of not giving up, of trusting one's will and strength. On the short, two kids are making a journey through mighty Africa, facing kidnapping, wild animals like gorillas, lions, leopards, diseases like malaria + many other sorts of dangers and obstacles which they surpass holding on to each other, believing they will make it.

Africa United movie

A few days ago I watched a rather similar (on the same conceptual level) movie which depicts the journey of five children from Rwanda all the way down to South Africa to take part in the opening show of the football world cup. In order to get there, they go through amazing adventures. Whether there are wild animals to escape from, people with shotguns or fatal diseases, nothing stops the group from succeeding. They all have dreams and they all know the only way is straight forward.

When you'll read + watch, you'll find out both book and movie also tell you what friendship really is.

Remember the time?

It's true, back when we were kids we just did everything with courage, enthusiasm and determination in a much serious manner than we do now when we call ourselves adults.

We couldn't tell what was good or bad, or even perceive the concept of impossible until grown-ups and society educated us. We just imagined things and then transformed them into reality. We cooked a rose petal jam + mud and were happy about it, without getting angry we couldn't eat it. We rocked a gymnastics championship on the block without thinking of the prize we would win. We built doll houses and played or hours both focused and relaxed, without needing cigarettes to feel so. We jumped and ran around all day, after each other, in teams, one leg up, sideways, backwards without owning a monthly subscription or expensive gear.

Please recall it without being nostalgic or sad, but with the belief we still have those drives and we can pass them on. First of all it's never too late to get back to dreaming and making it come true. Secondly, we have the chance to make it easier on our kids by putting aside the use of don't.

Understand the world we live in is just a series of convention and concepts. Everything is as real as we think/picture it is.

Can't you see?

We become adults just to wish we were kids again.

"Nothing to lose" T-shirt

2011-08-13T21:39:00.005+01:00

We liked the latest drawing so much that we (mostly kittns) painted it on a tee, using hypoallergenic textile colors, in shades of grey, blue + a ~~silver~~ golden lining.

Estoril Craft Fair

2011-08-12T00:44:00.011+01:00

A very popular summer event around here is the Craft Fair held in Estoril for the last 48 years, yep you've read correctly. I don't know a lot of administrative details, just that it takes place from June 29 until August 28, each evening from 6 p.m. to 12 a.m. You can learn about Portuguese traditional crafts as well as cuisine + see & buy (more or less) handmade items in a range from designer jewelry and let's say wool clothing to ceramics and paintings.

What I like about Portuguese traditional arts is the generous use of the color blue (cobalt) as you can see:

Although there were a lot of cute things, I can't say I was impressed much nor inspired. I guess it was the atmosphere, or better yet people's attitude. How come?

Hiding in our booths on a chair in the back or behind the counter isn't exactly the best marketing option. So are not smiling and not saying hello. No matter how tough times are, I believe we should be the first to speak about our work be it through words or body language. We may create + sell the cutest felt plush, customers won't be interested if we look like we're guarding them with a gloomy face.

I understand how a bad day or even a bad year feels like. But if I can't make it (and also not fake it) I prefer to think of other solutions, ultimately postponing my attendance.

We should probably think of ourselves as customers too and ask: what would draw my attention? What would make me want to know more about an item? What would make me buy it?

I was nevertheless amazed by miniature houses + furniture + settings, gosh, I was glad I hadn't seen them when I was younger. You can see a bit in these two photos, for example that scissors in the sewing kit next to the girl (photo above) was about 5 millimeters. Everything was so charming that I almost wanted to live in those settings.

The lowest price for a miniature room was about €70.

I also liked the wood crafts, especially chairs, drawers, trays, boxes and toys. They're great because they're noble and safe. Plus you can paint and decorate them in your own style.

The price for a small wooden box was €3, €7 for a small chair, €15 for a horse etc.

How about you, what would you hope for when you visit a craft fair? How about when you participate as an artist? I would love to share more with you, as the subject is so rich and ever open for improvement.

Estoril Fair was nice, even though I felt like saying: and now people... one more time with feeling!

How to make a baby girl t-shirt

2011-08-11T12:10:00.005+01:00

Today's post is about creativity.

Transform, innovate + actually do the whole process, not just have an idea. I hope we lose the fear of making mistakes, let ourselves free and create. Oh, and it's OK if we don't start from scratch (we won't invent the wheel again - darn it - but we will certainly build it better, give it other use or make it nicer, which is equally important).

So grab a t-shirt (new or older, for you or loved ones), pieces of fabric, scissors, needle, thread + other accessories like pom-poms, buttons, bows, anything will do.

Cut a heart shape both from the original t-shirt and fabric. Sew the new heart on the t-shirt.

Draw on another piece of fabric using textile acrylics or markers. It can be anything and the only skills you need are joy + love. Sew over the heart.

Tadaaa! One of my best friends is expecting the loveliest baby girl so I made this t-shirt for her (there is a whole meaning behind the use of a panda bear). I hope she'll like it...

... and I hope you too have an awesome session of creating, I promise you will feel great!

Bluebird

2011-08-09T23:12:00.005+01:00

Hello cats.

I wanted to write yesterday as it was Monday, but I got interrupted by an electricity breakdown that lasted more than 24 hrs, from 11 a.m. until today. Well, here at kittn we start the week on Wednesday with a free card you can use, words of wisdom and bluebirds + rainbows like the song.

This week we will learn more about those things we have, but we cannot lose like kindness, tenderness, generosity, empathy, humanity.

We'll also see that some things we think we own are not exactly ours to have, but to share.

Like love.

Once upon a time in August, a baby scan...

2011-08-05T19:29:00.014+01:00

Hi superstars.

I've been so busy this week with ~~boring~~ necessary papers + documents baby related like medical stuff, social insurance & co, but I've been thinking about writing here all the time. So now you will read all about yesterday's adventure, all on a very personal level.

I finally had the second trimester morphology scan yesterday . As it turns out most doctors here in Portugal take the month of August off so I had to travel rather far, changing the train for the metro but it was worth it, cause surprise surprise there was the Zoo right across the clinic. The thing is it takes a whole day to visit it all, so I decided to leave it for another time. I spent nearly two hours though chilling in the small park at the entrance dreaming about my baby, being nervous watching fountains and monkeys and of course people.

The time had come, I went in to make the scan... With all due respect, if it wasn't for my ~~serotonin~~ happy mood, I would have probably had a big argument with the staff. They were such in a rush and lack of care as if Moms were there on an automatic assembly line, not for the miracle that was bringing a human being into this world. You know me, I always see the full half of the glass, so I escaped their gloomy energy and focused on meeting the baby.

I couldn't see much on the screen though, I told you they were hasty + no one was explaining. But through that cloud of rapidly moving shadows and thick air, I heard a voice:

E um rapaz! (it's a boy)

I think my levels of hormones, conscience, unconscious, blood flow, electromagnetic waves (and other useless terms when it comes to living moments like these) went through the rooftop anyway as I imagined how my boy was cuddling there in my belly, being with me all this time, every second of it.

You know those people you see in the bus or subway, they're smiling uncontrollably+ their eyes sparkle and you think they're crazy? Well, they're not, they're just happy. I smiled all the way back in the train, I couldn't help it. It was unique.

M. and I both thought of girls names, so I prepared a surprise. On my way to his work I went to H&M, said goodbye kitty for now and bought a very first (not pink) baby t-shirt.

(By the way I was thinking who made this separation - girls equal rose + glitter, boys equal blue + dragons - it's a bit of a nonsense, don't you think? Why shouldn't my boy wear glitter? We're all stars anyway. And my favorite color is blue, I love dragons, but I'm not a boy. Hm, whatever.)

Yeah, so I took the small t-shirt out of my pocket and I watched Marco's face. He was still as a statue, but then I realized he needed something to lean against... He was overwhelmed, maybe more than me cause you know we are the strong ones! :-)

We had lunch on a bench by a small creek. We stayed mostly silent, afraid not to wake up from the sweetest dream.

Do you remember I was telling you I didn't fully realize what was going on some months ago? Well, everything feels more and more real. And when I say real I mean this wonderful boy that picked me to be his Mom... Who is it going to be? How is it going to be?

I look at my bump knowing he's there inside and I wonder does my heart really beat for you child, or is it really you giving me life?

All things grow with love

2011-08-02T14:49:00.010+01:00

I met Andreea for the first time at a small restaurant in Bucharest. It seems a long time ago... Although it was merely two years I'm feeling like we've come a long way. For instance, she had a different last name back then and I had other plans than living in Portugal. But some things never change, like our dreams + determination of which we highly spoke that summer afternoon. Have we managed to achieve all the things we had planned? Not sure. I only have a strong feeling we did much more than that.

kittns have been working on two lovely t-shirts for her and we're proud to present them. I'm wishing a happy summer to us all, while we plan + build the next episodes of our stories - it doesn't matter whether they are about sipping a cocktail on the beach or changing major things in our lives, they are all important and beautiful.

Hands up if you'd work with him

2011-07-28T10:22:00.004+01:00

The t-shirt: painted (three layers) with textile hypoallergenic acrylics (without solvents).

The previous: here and here

The model: the one & only Marco (I first made a glorious breakfast, then he agreed).

The camera: please ceiling cat, I want a new one.

Note: no kittns were harmed during this photo session.

Boxing "anger management" t-shirt

2011-07-26T17:40:00.005+01:00

Sh#t happens? Of course. People just don't give a f#ck? Yeah.

But don't let them get you down.

Just be on your way, you are stronger than you think you are.

Fight for your rights!

Olá, Portugal! :-)

2011-07-22T06:58:00.012+01:00

Kittns have never been good with numbers or calculations, that is an indisputable truth. Because of that it looks like we're going to live in sunny Portugal for a bit more time. Oh, and remember those soapy reality people I was telling you about? They disappointed us even more, but we're cool cause we've also made mistakes in life and probably disappointed others, to whom we meow for forgiveness.

Being here won't be so bad actually, as the view is great anywhere you look. And if it's meant to be, who knows what goodies are set aside for kittns...

So yesterday we found ourselves in the touristic part of Cascais, heading to Boca do Inferno to see furious waves striking from the deep bottom of a chasm up to the rocky cliffs on the shore.

The show the waters put on is amazing, especially because it's completely natural + in such contrast with the stillness of the horizon. Just like a huge problem for us means nothing in another part of the world...

Then we put our feet back on the ground and went to check the ~~almost~~ traditional artisanry which locals showcase nearby...

... but bought just Suspiros (eng. sighs), delicious meringues that really make you sigh after you have a bite. When I was able to use reason again I thought, please somebody stop me.

Today is very windy and I probably won't wander around, but I promise I will continue to show sights. Meanwhile have a stirring weekend, brave friends!

Goodbye, Portugal!

2011-07-18T07:38:00.007+01:00

Hello friends.

Here at kittn we always start a new week with a bomb, be it an inspiration boom or big news + decisions. So, get comfortable, take a deep breath cause here it comes... we are moving to London!

Needless to say I am a bit afraid, maybe of the unknown + the fact that we've got two cents in our pockets, no housing and a baby on the way, but more than that I am very excited by the new beginning and can't wait to explore and discover.

Now allow me to go a bit back in time and say that this time last year I decided to leave Portugal as I couldn't find my place here... I know, it sounds weird but I've learned to trust my intuition. If I have to rationalize though, I could tell you bluntly that landscapes are great, but the social and economic life aren't.
Then, Marco and I were blessed to meet, so we lived here a bit more. Most of the times we went through a soap opera-like reality on the others part, at times we felt very sad and angry, but I guess everything made us even more ~~crazy~~ courageous.

Back to the present, I'm ready to pack my bags again and look in front. Like always, aside from the few stuff that I have (but lots of memories) I will throw in trust + confidence + love, all in a light spirit.

Thank you for reading my daring life story, I hope kittns will always have your support.

Love,

Cristina

And the lucky winners are...

2011-07-15T14:50:00.007+01:00

Honey bunny
Ana
Sasha

Every name received a no. in order of appearance :-) and the lucky randomly chosen were: 5, 11, 8.

Thank you so much for being here and giving amazing support + love throughout the ~~mis~~adventures.

Congratulations to everyone, warm welcome hugs to the newcomers, lots of love to all very special friends. I hope we never say goodbye.

PS. Do check your e-mails, there are surprise gifts for everyone!
(Freyja, Verdesiroz, Ana, please send your contact at cristina@kittn.net)

Another gift?! You've got to be kidding me...

2011-07-14T00:40:00.005+01:00

Hello kittns.

I am happy to introduce Dena Harris, a wonderful author otherwise known as "the cats humorist". She just published her newest book called "Who Moved My Mouse? A Self-Help Book for Cats (Who Don’t Need Any Help)" and rumors are she is ~~generally~~ currently trying to figure out how to bring a third cat into the home without her husband‘s knowledge. :-)

But the best news is she was so kind to present kittn's sweet readers + dreamers with a book! Yes, that's correct - an adorable book to make summer days funnier & easier. And it starts like this...

"It‘s happened. I have become that woman. The one obsessed with cats. Friends no longer put any thought into purchasing gifts for me. If it has a cat on it, they figure (correctly) that I‘ll love it. That‘s how it starts. People start thinking this way and soon—through no fault of your own—you‘re living in a house filled with cat picture frames, cat gloves, cat bookmarks, cat plaques, cat mugs, and yes, even cat underwear..."

Have a cool & fun reading, everyone! Meow!

Brand new day, free card

2011-07-10T23:14:00.005+01:00

You know by now to save the card, then send it or collect it.

Start your week with crazy courageous optimism!

3 bitter bits of The Biz

2011-07-06T11:58:00.019+01:00

Hello, shiny happy people. Today I want to bring some delicate matters out in the open. I am sure speaking about them will clear some doubts, so the issues on the 'uncomfortable' list are: negotiation, return/exchange policies and compromise.
I won't tell you what to do and how to do it of course, but I can share my experience and help finding the best practice.

Negotiation. I'm sure you've met a customer that wanted to negotiate the price of your creations, or simply requested a discount, at least once ever since you've become a handmade artist. As your wares are not brought to life on an assembly line + you don't have a mass production, you find it difficult to lower your ~~underpriced~~ standards and values. But how do you deal with the situation?
Consider the following accounts, when weighing the proposal:

you buy raw materials from your suppliers at the same costs, so you can't make a discount without cutting down on something like quality, for example;
your monthly production costs are the same (including all bills + taxes);
the time + energy + amount of work for an item stays the same from acquisitions to packaging + everything is proportionally increased even if you make 2 or 30 pieces of the same objects;
you are actually creating what you are selling, not just distributing them;
the price won't dissolve into the millions of items you are selling (as you are not a big retailer and don't have world wide production & coverage);
explain your price if necessary, show what every cent stands for: supplies, design, manufacturing, book keeping, assets, packaging, traveling + other communication means, publicity, costs with online stores & services), profit, your actual 'salary', etc.
customers who understand and appreciate your work, will respect your policies and prices.

I advise you not to negotiate, but if you really have to, point out to your seasonal + stock sales, or you could throw in a nice offer instead: gift coupons, discount on the next order, discount at the upcoming fair, giveaways, etc.

Exchange & return policies. It's only natural to change our minds. We usually take back to the store lots of products, from food to electronics, whether they have flaws or we simply choose differently. If at the regular store, they easily sell that reindeer sweater to the next customer, or simply write it off, who do you sell fast a returned necklace with the name Cathy on it, and who is covering your contingent losses?
It's better to avoid these situations, unpleasant both for you and for customers, so remember:

Have a thoroughly detailed shop policy;
Take all the precaution measures upfront: note the exact sizes, model, colors, discuss the process, request all the details;
Your work + brand are the guarantees for quality and good service in the first place;
Explain the concept of handmade + unique + small business versus chains of stores + billions of items.

If you somehow missed the size, the color, or for any other reason you feel it's right to exchange the product or return the money, do it all in good peace and only after the original item is returned to you intact.

Compromise. We love to create, we love our work. The community is great and positive energy radiates. We would also love to sell lots so we put our personal style out there. How do we get everyone to like it? Well, here are a few words of wisdom:

You can't make everyone like you, and if you think pink about it, pleasing people shouldn't be your goal;
Be the first to like your work, believe in it;
Just because a certain international kitty sells better it doesn't mean you have to put it on earrings too. Don't compromise on your style + spine + vision, leave your unique mark on the world!

How do you resolve delicate situations like these? I would be very excited if you shared your stories and experience too, we may come to a better solution together.

See you soon, and remember to be ~~badass~~ professionals when required!

So many people to hug, so little time

2011-07-05T13:47:00.007+01:00

At a job interview:
- What salary are you thinking of, the employers would ask.
- Well, I just need each day to be heartfelt and humanly sincere, I would reply.
- Is that it?
- Yes, I will work for hugs.

Available here.

Free bunnies card

2011-07-04T15:22:00.009+01:00

Hi. Let's start this week by saying something sweet to someone we love. But wait, it should be so supercalifragilistic sweet that you would nearly be afraid to declare it...

See you soon, ...honeys.

Summer Giveaway (no regrets pillow set + dragon wings t-shirt + handmade biz book)

2011-06-30T18:05:00.016+01:00

Hello.

Kittns worked a lot lately so they are finally taking ~~three or four~~ some days off relaxing on the beach. It would be the coolest thing in the world right now if you could come and join them, as they miss having friends around. If you can't join them now, kittns want you to be happy anyway, take some time off for yourself and enjoy soulful things.

That is why they decided to give away presents this summer:

a unique pillow set that's entirely hand crafted (+ hand painted using hypoallergenic textile paint, no solvents). The original drawing + text will remind you of your superhero powers and will be a friend for sweet napping or just hugging.

I am not afraid of dragons T-shirt, Medium size, with a hand painted drawing and a lovely set of tulle wings to help you let go of fear and feel like flying.

A brilliant book kittns bought here and read in a heartbeat. It was really really useful, that's why we would love to share the wisdom and pass it on (it would be nice if you did the same after you read it and took notes, in the hope that the handmade marketplace would grow & shine).

You can give your love too and enter the giveaway by following Kittn (see the Follow button at the bottom of this page) + leaving a comment about what you like or would like to see kittns do or write about + your contact.

We will use a random number generator to draw three lucky pals. The first one will firstly choose the prize and so on.

Shipping is international & completely free for you. Results on July 15th.

Meowy wowy hugs to you!

Summer mood

2011-06-28T13:27:00.010+01:00

I've been planning to go to the beach for over a week now, a week that's been so hot, too hot to stay outside in the sun (and I've finally finished some drawing + t-shirt + planning world domination® work). So today was the big day... I packed my backpack since last night with all the beach gear I needed like sunscreen, towel, notebook, book and camera + an excellent summer/easy mood... And guess what. It wasn't sunny! It was still hot, but a bit dreary as the sun seemed to be playing hide and seek with the clouds.
I thought that if I wasn't going to get a sun tan, I would act like a beach ~~bum~~ girl anyway so I began by breathing in that unique smell of salty seaside + sun lotion scent. I didn't want to travel far so I chose São Pedro beach which is rather small inside a charming bay.

There were a lot of families with kids and I was thinking it would be loads of fun to play on the beach with my kid, after all, the best seaside holidays of my life so far were together with my mom. Oh, sweet memories... I've texted her to say I was dreaming of a future holiday somewhere on the beach. The sun had been starting to show more and more, but I had to go get lunch so I left thinking the day was worth it even if the weather hadn't been too shiny.
Waking up on a summer morning, opening the window and letting the cool breeze in, having a quick breakfast + kisses, music (always music), seeing couples sharing earphones on the beach, colored umbrellas, sand running from under my feet on the shore, children building sand castles, remembering past escapades while seeking for the undefined horizon line, as simple as these things appear to be, I'm thankful I've seen and lived them all today.

One more free card

2011-06-27T19:58:00.005+01:00

Right click. Save. Send (to the cutie you like). Start a conversation. ~~The end.~~ The beginning!

More goodies

2011-06-25T09:27:00.010+01:00

This time from Mayi Carles, a very talented + beautiful woman, a super passionate artist + eco-friendly designer + creative biz coach. As she confesses, she is mostly known for her T-Rex-size dreams + messy ideas + TV gig + severe cupcake addiction + funny Panamanian accent. I would add, just by some quick readings on her site, that we also like her for the empowering tips & tricks she writes or talks about in her videos, very helpful advice, support and ideas, and last but not least for being generous with sweet printables like these:

Read the article and download the .pdf file here

More on cute & necessary recipe cards and file download here

Daily Action Planners, here.

With titles like tips to make your website super effective, or help your market interpret your brand and what you should include in your creative business journal I'm sure you'll have a great time reading and discovering Mayi and her motivating, inspirational world.

Have a summer dreamy weekend everyone, see you on Monday with new freebies!

What if I fail?

2011-06-23T21:22:00.015+01:00

He was fired by editors because, "he lacked imagination and had no good ideas". After that, he started a number of businesses that didn't last too long and ended with bankruptcy. However, Walt Disney didn't give up...

Failure, we all know how it feels like, we all tasted it - be it of smaller or bigger proportions and implications. It could have been an attempt to mold clay earrings that looked like saved from a fire in the end. It could have been that exam that you studied hard and you didn't pass by a nose, or that special night you prepared for your date that never answered your calls again. Even if we get fired or divorced, it's in our nature to mistake or to be wrong, and believe it or not without errors and fails there wouldn't be any evolution or progress.
It's normal to feel bad when you lose or fail. Don't talk yourself out of it, you would be lying. Cry if you need to, but don't let it go on for long, you have to move on to the next step on the path called the rest of your life.
Most people know her as one of the most iconic faces on TV as well as one of the richest and most successful women in the world. She faced a hard road to get to that position, enduring an abusive childhood as well as numerous career setbacks including being fired from her job as a television reporter because Oprah Winfrey "was unfit for TV."

The right way to be wrong (no pun intended) is to first recognize it. You'd better assume your error (it's hard to, I know, but it's much better than living in denial and subsequently in guilt), analyze and learn from it. Change what needs to be changed and then try another time.
As life is not an algorithm (darn!), trial and error is the only other option, but it is just like searching for the solution through a labyrinth: you might not find it at your first move.
All I'm saying is look at things in a different way. Change your perspective on these matters and you will discover not only it will be easier to get by, but to achieve great things in the end:

failure and success are just concepts and conventions, in reality there is only life experience;
there are no standards for success as there's not a rank for failure;
share your experience;
there is no "shame";
let go of fear!

He didn't speak until he was four and didn't read until he was seven, causing his teachers and parents to think "he was slow and anti-social". He was expelled from school and was refused admittance to Polytechnic School. It might have taken him a bit longer, but most people would agree that Albert Einstein caught on pretty well in the end, winning the Nobel Prize and changing the face of modern physics.

Super deal Saturday

2011-06-17T21:16:00.020+01:00

Are you ready for summer's most dazzling days at the beach and glittering evenings? Well, if you feel you're missing a touch to create your perfect outfits and you need just the sparks to go all foxy, then this is the chance: two of my talented friends are hosting the best promos this summer!

Anca, the lovely artist at B o3m ia offers a 30% discount on any order for a whole month from June 15 until July 15. You can find either romantic or playful items in her shop and if Romanian is not one of the languages you know, I'm sure she will kindly give you all the information you need.

Her favorite material is polymeric clay which she accessorizes perfectly with beads, lace, copper, gold and hand painted silk ribbon. The price range is very attractive, between 3 & 15 Eur... Wait, wait, what did you say, you want them all?
For further information contact bo3mia@gmail.com

If you step in Daria's world you will easily realize everything she touches turns to beauty from outfits she wears to one of a kind jewelry + the colors are amazing: honeysuckle buds, peach flowers, chocolate and butter stand out from her palette.
Indeed like a kitten, she likes to play making cute animal necklaces, felt foxes, button pins and many more as you can see in her shop.

With every purchase that you make between June 15 and September 1, Kittenhood offers you a chance to win a 50$/150 RON gift card in the shop! Each product that you buy will be assigned a number, which will automatically participate in the competition - so more purchases, more chances.
Details and friendship requests at dar.142173@yahoo.com

Freebies!

2011-06-14T11:34:00.006+01:00

In this post I am glad to present you some e-cards that I've been drawing... not only they are very cute but they're absolutely free!
You can safely save them in your computer (good old fashioned right click, save image as) and send them to your loved ones: so far you have three friendship/love cards and a thank you note, but there will be more to come, I promise.
Meanwhile, you can leave your feedback about the freebies or even if you have ideas of your own that you want to illustrate.
Come on, let's bring a smile to someone today! :-)

Paper planes...

2011-06-07T11:10:00.003+01:00

... most of us made them when we were kids and I guess they were built in situations we didn't like so much and wanted to escape: mainly during class or homework. Their purpose was to take us on their wings so we could fly away to a more interesting or just a better place.
Then we grew up and found ourselves in stranger and more complicated situations than an undesired homework or a boring school class. Whether it's an unhealthy relationship or a terrible job we somehow get stuck for long trying to figure out what to do in order to feel better. We over calculate and arrange the facts and solutions when in fact we seem to have lost the simple answer that we once knew: make a paper plane and get away!
The paper planes may now represent a new job or our self confidence and the wings can be strong with the courage to start new beginnings. Life is too short to hang around in dreary situations so make paper planes, not war. :-)

PS. Paper planes go to all of us and especially to Myshi (but I can't say more, because the t-shirts haven't arrived yet and I don't want to spoil the surprise)

A handmade ABC & more

2011-06-02T09:32:00.006+01:00

Yesterday, on Children's Day I received this wonderful book that I ordered on The book depository (by the way I strongly recommend it - delivery was in time, shipping was free plus I got a lovely bookmark as a gift).
I could only ready a few pages until today, but even since the first lines (not mentioning the overall attractive design) it captivated me. If you are into crafts, a handmade artist, a freelance illustrator and a talented person whose hands are restless until you knit or decoupage something, then you will feel like it's you that wrote this book, or at least a very good friend with a bit more experience.
Kari Chapin talks about motivation and inspiration both with their ups and downs, about marketing strategies in a way that the term doesn't seem scary anymore, about tactics, success and goals all in a very personal way that touches your soul just like everything in the handmade business should be.
I'm very happy with my acquisition and I can't wait to read more, but for now here is a set of questions and matters that Kari suggests we keep in mind when we start our business. I say we should ask ourselves these questions more along the way, considering that changes are made all the time and life itself is very dynamic. Our answers will build a strong foundation for business and will help know ourselves more:

Why do I want to sell my crafts?
What are my monetary goals?
What does my idea of success look like? How will I know when I've achieved it?
Do I have enough time to devote to selling my work?
Do I have the tools I need at hand to begin selling what I make?
Do I have a support system in place for taking on this venture?
What are my biggest fears?
What excites me the most about starting a business?

The kids are alright.

2011-05-30T09:40:00.011+01:00

Who ever thought this day would come when I would stare ~~for hours~~ at the small growing bump in my belly trying to imagine that there is actually someone there getting ready day by day to step into this world. Amazing is the word that I often use, because no other words would do. If you are already a mommy you must know how it feels, and probably even more than me by now, if you're not I can recommend what I think is the best film of its genre: it's called In the womb, a documentary produced by National Geographic (if it's difficult to get it just write to me and I will be happy to transfer it to you).
We are very young - just 13 weeks and three days - but we are very alert so far. We already have friends: Maia wearing the Loves me loves me not bear t-shirt, hat and trousers from personal wardrobe and parent as accessory and

Adina wearing a version of Don't worry trees t-shirt with her Nana (who's a yoga teacher). I'm happy the t-shirts I created helped strengthen the bond and now I feel like making more stuff for kids.

Also, my best friends from uni and primary school are pregnant, Denisa is due in August and Maria in October - I'm so excited but at the same time I can't believe yet that I'm actually talking seriously about these things...
Have a fun week and remember the kids are always alright and we must see they stay that way!

A Outra Face da Lua

2011-05-24T06:45:00.017+01:00

It' just now that I discovered Outra Face da Lua, a vintage & retro shop for clothes and accessories and I was amazed! I spent one hour in the shop just looking at the things, I haven't even tried on anything yet... My all time favorite is 70s and 80s fashion, but they hold collections from all decades of the 20th century.
Very good quality, uniqueness and beautiful displaying sorted by color are just a few of the things that charmed me.

The prices were also an important "Like" as some of the loveliest dresses were between 20 Eur and 60, smart jackets in the same price range, 30 Eur for skirts, silk scarfs for 6, etc. The people working there were also friendly and ready to help, (not the "I desperately want to sell something... anything" attitude) not mentioning there is a lounge inside the store where you can have a snack and a Frappuccino and feel gorgeous in a most fashionable trend.

I am so happy with my findings, mainly because Lisbon is a bit ~~dull~~ conservatory style wise and I'm glad there are finally alternatives to the retailers that dress us all on a huge assembly line.
Last time my heart was set on a cool 80s jacket and a few dresses, but I'm going back to fall in love again! :-)

A Outra Face da Lua
Rua da Assunção 22, 1100-044, Lisbon, Portugal

Feira da Ladra, finally.

2011-05-21T19:05:00.016+01:00

Hooray, this week I visited the flea market on the right day! :-) I took bus 735 from Cais do Sodre, but if you're coming from the center of the city you can take No. 28 tram which is a must as it is traditional (but also a thrilling ride as it goes abruptly up & down the hills). If you are in the mood to walk, you can easily arrive going uphill from Baixa.

You're not going to regret it, as the surroundings are picturesque and really wonderful, believe me. I wish I had a better camera to capture all the details that I've seen, but I only photographed the fascinating narrow streets and whimsical balconies. It seemed like every building and every window had a great story to tell!

When I arrived at the fair at about 9 a.m. the temperature was so hot that we all almost started a war for a spot in the shadow (I already had packed a 1.5 liter bottle of water, be proud of me mum). I spent my time looking at household appliances, pots and pans, glasses, paintings, frames, bed sheets, apparel, shoes, electronics, cosmetics, vinyls, books, pop art, azulejos (Portuguese tiles), toys, pieces of toys, jewelry, Indian fashion, furniture... Big or small, new or old, everything was there.

Feira da Ladra means The (female) thief's market and the traders show their wares in Campo de Santa Clara street, São Vicente de Fora district of the city, close to Alfama (the oldest district, you will read about it in a future post).
Besides all the charming places and feelings, here is some practical advice when going to the fair:

hold your belongings tightly, have change and small bills;
the earlier you go, the better the finds;
the more you advance in the fair area, the cheaper the prices;
negotiate;
if you saw it and you love it, just get it otherwise you will regret not having it. :-)

After four hours of trance, calculation and indecision, wish lists, dreaming and making occasional friends I bought a replica Hermès scarf (which I had to have, but I don't know if I will wear), a bracelet for M. and these sweet hand crafted Mary Jane shoes from a couple who created beautiful leather works (I promised myself I would return for more).

PS. I forgot to explain the lack of posts: I've been feeling very nauseous and sleepy (11th week of pregnancy :-). I've been crafting many t-shirts and the rest of the time I've been walking around but more as exercising than visiting . Place-a-day project seems difficult to do every day, but I can extend it over a month's time, what do you say?

Baixa - Chiado, Lisboa.

2011-05-15T16:25:00.019+01:00

Big plans today: I woke up at 5 a.m. in order to get in time for goodies at Feira da Ladra, Lisbon's flea market. The market is on from dawn till evening, but it's in the early morning when you can find, for example, cool shoes for €5. Well, a 30 minutes train ride and one bus ride later, I found out the market was only held on Tuesdays and Saturdays. Hello sunshine, hello Cristina...
Very well, I said, it was about 7.30 a.m. so I could feel the city waking up. I love mornings with their promises of new beginnings, with inviting smells coming from the bakeries about to open, that soapy clean scent on the streets... Except on Sundays, when the city looks like it's deserted! :-)

I'll have fun anyway, I said to myself as I started to walk uphill to Chiado, a fashionable area filled with cafes, restaurants and shops, the place where all the parties start. (A Brasileira cafe right next to Chiado subway stop is a very famous meeting place, for example.)

Nothing was open, not even H&M (why, why?) so I walked further down to Baixa (more closed restaurants and shops), ending with Praça do Comércio which opens with a beautiful view of River Tejo.
A cool thing about Lisbon is the contrast between its vast squares and narrow streets. It's an adventure walking up and down, getting a glimpse of daily life - like neighbors in front of the local bar whistling the day away, clothes hang to dry at each window or seeing some fragile tree just burst out and growing from a stone wall and everything just quivering of life - and then arriving in a huge square that's monumentally still. You really have to experience it!

It was noon already so I decided to head home - not before buying The Adventures and Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle (yay, I found an open shop). I tried to take photos using the self-timer function (as no one was around), but this is what I got:

Nevertheless I hope you enjoyed reading about early morning trips to Lx (short for Lisbon) and I wish you a fun week ahead!
(Feira da Ladra, I'll be back.)

Gifts.

2011-05-14T11:55:00.004+01:00

Yay! Hurray! It's your birthday, we're gonna party like it's your birthday, so you get a 50% discount - just mention the date in your e-mail, or save the coupon and send it together with your order.
Yay, hurray, again.

About the courage of being who I am.

2011-05-14T10:32:00.006+01:00

Do you know when you ask for directions on the street and you get that feeling that you asked the wrong people or they look like they don't know what the funk you're talking about but still they give you directions?
After they answer we continue on our way and we have a choice: we either follow the path that we felt was the right one without actually knowing the map, or we take the one others indicated. Whenever we decide to follow our hearts there's always a good outcome, the way might be twisted and have bumps but we surely enjoy every step of it. Whenever we choose the path that other people thought is better, we come to a dead end, one way or another - in most unfortunate cases we run around in circles for years trying to break out from that dead end. There IS a way out and that is going all the way back and taking again the way that we felt was right in the first place.

We needn't listen to people saying we don't know what to do with our lives or call us names, most of them never had the courage to change anything, most of them haven't even tried another way, most of them buried their own dreams.
We needn't worry that we lost time and energy walking the wrong way, as everything is important time is never lost, we always learn things that will help on the new path.
We needn't regret we followed other people's directions cause now we learned to take a better look in our hearts, let go of fears and trust ourselves more.
We only need to follow our instincts and take a step on the way that we wanted!

A walk in sunny Belém.

2011-05-11T00:24:00.008+01:00

27°C today... perfect weather to walk around and smile to the world (not mentioning eating the delicious Pastéis... and strawberries). So Belém is a district of Lisbon and it's another good place to relax like almost everything around here, where the main attraction is that time stands still.

If I ruled the world by kittenwear featuring wrap bracelets

I don't have a lot of things to say about it, maybe visiting for the first time was better, maybe I just had a void where my brain was supposed to be, but anyway don't miss it if you are around! One funny thing: there was this cool building complex called Centre for the Unknown... as it was rather late and it appeared to be closed, I walked around to find what it was all about, surprise, I found no clues, none at all so it was actually a centre for the unknown!!! (silly me, thinking it would be a metaphor or something).

Boardwalk by kittenwear featuring wooden platform heels

PS. I discovered that people without a good sense of humor are dangerous.

How to... create rainbows.

2011-05-08T15:26:00.011+01:00

The weather has put my place-a-day adventures on hold for a while, as it rained heavily for the past few days - it stopped now and it's sunny again so I will be on the road again next week.
The good news is I had some time to experiment with tie dyeing, a technique which in the end proved to be so easy to do and - in the spirit of the late 60s, when it became fashionable in the west -very addictive. :-)
You need a t-shirt, plastic boxes (one for each color that you use), rubber bands, textile paint.
I used my usual textile paints which I had to dilute with water so they lost their brightness and became pastels. Powder textile pigments are better for tie dyeing as the color stays intense and make the patterns more spectacular, I will surely use them next time.

First you have to spray water on the t-shirt to make it easier to roll (yep, in the same 60s spirit). Then you pinch the t-shirt where you want the center of a spiral to be and start to twist it slowly. Once you twist the t-shirt patiently arranging the folds and the margins, you wrap the rubber bands around it to help keep it in a tight shape.

You sink the roll for app. 2 minutes in the previously diluted paint then let it dry for at least 24 hours (if you work with powder pigments that need preparation not dilution, rinse with water after they're dry and iron them at high temperature).
You can make different designs by changing the pinch, the twists and the colors. I can't wait to experiment with brighter pigments, but until then here is the rainbow... after rain:

PS. Accessorize with a big flower brooch and a carefree attitude!

Carcavelos beach.

2011-05-02T17:17:00.009+01:00

I wasn't in the best shape today so I made a quick run at the beach, this time the biggest one on the coast. If you are visiting from Lisbon you must know that it's situated between Parede and Oeiras train stops and it's about one km away from the station. The beach is a favorite place for surfers and others that spend quality time here all throughout the year.

If you go all the way at the end of the boardwalk you'll find a very impressive sight: a 16th century fort called Forte de São Julião da Barra, which marks the mouth of river Tejo. It's the biggest marine fortification in the country and it served to protect the river entrance from enemy ships. I hear it's currently the residence of the Ministry of Defense, so same old same old :-)

I hope you find the beach nice and the information useful. Have an excellent week!

Cascais-Estoril boardwalk.

2011-05-02T01:01:00.017+01:00

If you visit Portugal this time of year be prepared to be amazed by the flowers: an explosion of colors on a green and blue background is all around. You don't need to visit the botanical gardens to take your share of oxygen and beauty, you can just walk the streets.
And the perfume, oh my, I don't know if it's because I quit smoking (since January) and my senses came back to normal (or maybe it's the pregnancy), but I feel I'm going crazy with these wonderful scents of roses and many many more flowers and trees.

I always loved yellow roses (and yellow flowers in general) and today, while taking a break from walking, I sketched some fabric designs that I will show soon.

So today I walked from Parede to Cascais and I guess there where app. ten km from which four or maybe five where just the actual boardwalk that connects Cascais and Estoril, two ~~very~~ touristic suburbs of Lisbon.

The boardwalk (paredão) twists and turns parallel with the railway and of course, the ocean. If the salty fresh air has caused you an appetite you can brunch, lunch, dinner or just have a snack at one of the many restaurants. They are charming and the service is great, but they're a bit expensive for my budget so I prefer to have a homemade sandwich and fruit in my backpack.

You can lay on one of the small beaches around or get fit and healthy using the outdoor gear available (with instructions). If you feel like exercising even more you can rent (for free) a bicycle from one of the stands in Cascais - you can bike all year on the boardwalk, except when touristic season starts and it becomes forbidden (the place gets very crowded). Oh, before I forget, water sports are available for learning and practicing, especially surfing.

A very good option is to just sit somewhere, maybe on the sand, maybe on a bench along the way, and do nothing. But you have to do it properly: no thinking, no moving, just stop and breathe.
I hope you enjoyed the boardwalk (although some things are beyond my literary abilities, you really have to see them) and I leave you with M. wearing the ~~bad boy~~ t-shirt that he 'ordered'. Lots of butterflies - he said - and may you have lots of butterflies too, landing on your nose or shoulder this lovely month of May!

Place-a-day project, may 2011.

2011-04-30T19:53:00.004+01:00

I always forget about thing-a-day, the yearly creative sprint that occurs in February, so all I do is watch the beautiful people that contribute and plan what I would do next edition (when I forget again).
But I had the greatest idea some days ago: I invented place-a-day!
I'm going to travel, photograph, sketch and talk about a place worth visiting in the area that I live. It's going to be one place each day for the following month, all shared with you.
I hope the trips will be interesting, I want to meet nice people, get to know more stuff and last but not least I wish the way will be paved with surprises.

I hope place-a-day will be entertaining and inspiring for you too.
Have a happy May Day!

All the details in the fabric.

2011-04-15T19:58:00.008+01:00

I recently discovered spoonflower in my quest to find lovely fabric at reasonable prices, and I am so excited cause not only they print your creations but there are also big contests almost on a weekly basis.

All fabrics are natural - cotton, organic cotton, silk - I already received swatches and they feel very nice to the touch. Not actually cheap, but quite affordable when you want to see your own designs printed, right?
You even don't need to know the ways of designing or editing programs, all it takes is creativity and the will to have some fun, as you can see in the following video:

Yay or nay?

The message.

2011-04-12T12:02:00.018+01:00

As we spend a lot of time indoors, I believe we should make our space comfy and cozy, a shelter where we feel nurtured on love and peace. I thought pillows can be so close and tender: we rest with them while napping on a Sunday afternoon, we hug them when we listen to our best friends adventures, we even throw with them when playing pillow fight with our better halves.

I called this particular collection The message, as and it showcases lovely realities that we need to be reminded of everyday or fragments of our favorite things to say all in the purpose to brighten our days and make them better.
I painted the characters and text on cotton and linen and they are very very soft to the touch. With the risk of repeating, I'm going to say again that the textile paint that I use is water-based and contains no solvents. Their sizes vary, as some pillows are singles and some come in sets of two.
You will find the entire collection for sale in my online s hop or by simply writing to me.

Caution: powerful emotions attached!

Superheroes.

2011-04-10T09:57:00.020+01:00

I wanted to take part in a handmade fair here in Cascais and people showed me two women that were chatting by a jewelry stand. They said they are in charge and I should speak with them.
'The bosses' were two old sisters fearful that someone would bring in more competition for their jewelry - so their nice way to connect was 'if you are making jewelry you'd better go away'. When they found out about what I do they 'instructed' me to speak with ~~an overlord~~ a colleague that apparently had the final decision in everything (?!).
I've met with this woman at eight in the morning and after a brief presentation (in which I've been told business cards are overrated) I began to pull out t-shirts from my backpack watching the reactions on her face.
Have you ever walked into a store or an office and began to ask 'Would you...?' and you were told 'No!' before you finished the sentence? Well, people act a lot like that here where I live. You can confirm if you live or lived here for other than a touristic experience and interacted with locals more than 'Hi, what a nice day, thank you'.
Back to our 'comrade' who was supposed to approve of my creations, she started to ask a long list of conditions to fulfill (more like Hercules's labors) in order to be able to take part in the fair. At one time I thought 'hey, this fair is owned by mobsters' and I left with a bitter taste of positions in opposition, abject attitudes and negative energy overall.
I felt down in the last days and I didn't even know why. Last night I finished the project I told you I was working on, I showed it to Marco and he was very impressed. He asked me when do we go to the fair and I answered that I didn't want to be a part of the 'comrades' community. He hugged me and said that flowers bloom wherever we go and we shine even under five layers of clothing. He even lent me his magic bracelet so I wouldn't be afraid anymore.

So I fell asleep and I dreamed that I was a superhero going to do the trick to a powerful monster that was terrorizing the city. It would appear at a fancy cocktail party so I went there. I was dressed in my stay-at-home-leggings, a t-shirt and sneakers and I was a bit afraid from time to time: I was saying to myself gosh I'm small, but then I remembered the strength of my kicks and punches would smash the monster into the nearest wall (I forgot to mention that in my dream Marco was a superhero too and we made a team, but he had something else to do so I was facing the villain by myself).
I got to the party and I asked a woman about the possible ways to the roof of the building. She looked upon me with scorn, but I was smiling knowing 'hey, if it wasn't for me you would be monster's supper tonight'. I went on to the roof constantly visualizing the might of my actions.
The dream ended here, but even without the actual fight I felt great when I woke up.
You know that confidence feeling that makes your heart burst with enthusiasm? The bad news is that we sometimes lose it cause of one monster or the other, the best news is that it's always there with us, we can use it to overcome any problem we might have and go forward with our heads up.

Let's party like it's 1995.

2011-04-03T21:36:00.006+01:00

One of my best friends and her 2 year old daughter, Andreea & Maia have been kittnized recently wearing their custom Loves me, loves me not Bear t-shirts.
Andreea and I were classmates in high-school sixteen years ago when we were recording mix tapes from the radio, wearing platforms and sharing love stories.
She is one of the most fun people I know, but she is also very loving and trustworthy. Her confidence and determination always inspired me, I hope she remembers these wonderful qualities each time things get tough. And you know what else she can remember? That she will always be special in my heart...
♫ I swear by the moon and the stars in the skies... ♪

Purrfect.

2011-04-01T12:36:00.007+01:00

I don't have a perfect life, oh, I am far far from that.
I weigh six kilos over the point where my figure would be curvy, I live with my in-laws (insert holding breath here) and I feel vaguely detached from my own self most of the time.
I'm thirty years old and I haven't had a sense of direction in life ten years ago, nor do I have now (actually, I think of myself as being two times fifteen, it's more fun).
I started a handmade business almost four years ago and financially I am at the same level. I seem to cut my shoulder-length hair short all the time just to convince myself that I was on the right track growing it in the first place.
My workplace and room always look way past fashionably distressed (I particularly have a special relationship with socks that appear everywhere at most unexpected times).
And there would be a few more discontents I live with daily (or traits that one doesn't brag about so much) but you know what, f... orget that, I am happy to show you a few images from the project I am working on and ~~I hope~~ will be out in one week.

What would YOU change about your life?

Cats, lately.

2011-03-29T20:09:00.003+01:00

I'm not going to say much about this t-shirt for now, because it hasn't arrived at its owner yet and I won't spoil the surprise. What I can say is that she is one of the funniest people I know and she described her cat as being similar to a wet sock.
(to be continued)

Mix

2011-03-25T09:30:00.004Z

I discovered these when a lovely lady ordered the three-blue-cats t-shirt, a few days ago. If I remember well I made them for a handmade event and they bring happy feelings: the rush of getting ready for fairs, sunny days in Bucharest with my friends...
I love how mixing painting with sewing looks, it seems I had every detail on the right spot: the dotted bow, the sewn eyes, candy buttons and assorted textile pieces.

Note to self: remember to mix again!

Meanwhile, in Portugal...

2011-03-23T17:46:00.007Z

... people name their houses. It's so pretty and captivating as you walk, read and begin to imagine stories that you have to really watch your step. I've seen girls names, last names, saints names, flowers, places and on some just mysterious nicknames or pretty things that one likes...

... while some are romantically called The (insert name) Couple.
You should also know that vivenda is a one family residence and moradia signifies that there are separate owners in the same house.

Would you name your house? What would you write on the wall?

3 x 0,50 m garden

2011-03-22T16:59:00.010Z

Choose the plants/flowers you ~~hope~~ want to grow. Stare at them for ages dreaming of how you'll wake up feeling their scent this summer.
Clean your garden/pots/space by removing the weeds. I know, all plants are our friends, but unfortunately they don't get along so well with pansies and carnations.

Pretend your arm doesn't hurt where Mr. Cactus stung and contently watch the garden.
Plant the seeds following the instructions - some need to be deeper, some at distance, etc.

Rest. Enjoy the view. Think about your friends and wish they will come over.
Post on your blog about a very relaxing household activity.
Smile!

Bo3mia's world

2011-03-18T14:24:00.015Z

I love to write letters to family, friends and even unknown people just because I like their sites or their creations... Lately, I've been keeping up correspondence with Anca in Munich, Germany.

The truth is her work inspired me to reopen the blog.

I found such a clean message in her whimsical world, that I remembered why and how I started kitten in the first place. It was for all the soulful things which at moments I lost on the way: dreaming, trust, hope. I've been using my mind so much, that I nearly killed the fun. I nearly forgot that one my favorite poems is Eu nu strivesc corola de minuni a lumii.
I invite you to discover her world by reading her diary, by checking her wonderful shop or just looking at the pictures. Are you getting that at peace with everything mood yet?

Bo3mia

Any ideas?

2011-03-15T22:57:00.008Z

Ioana chose a t-shirt and before I go bla bla about artistic pangs I want to say how gorgeous she is wearing the (former) kitten logo, hand painted especially for her, of course. She is even taking part in a make-up contest and I hope kittens help her win. She sure looks confident!
Now back to drawing, I wanted to confess I still haven't had the inspiration for a new header. If you want to help me soul searching, you are always welcome to share your ideas.
So how is it going to be?

If it's March it must be love!

2011-03-11T23:16:00.003Z

If I haven't told you that you can wear kitten t-shirts when pregnant and they're also available for babies, I'm proudly telling you now... and I've got the photos to prove it!
Andreea is just beautiful with her Hold Me tee and Adina rules the world (on her dad's birthday)!

CLEARANCE

2011-03-08T23:33:00.018Z

Here's the big sale as I promised and although it's not a huge collection of discounted items, I think they make a super cool wardrobe for the spring to come. Wear them with jeans or skirts, maybe hot pants and lots of smiles, of course!

Giraffes!, light weight cotton t-shirt with tulle appliques, size M/38. Sold
Life is not a fairytale, cotton maxi t-shirt/dress, size M/38. Sold

Bring it on, lady fit t-shirt with cotton applique, size M/38. Sold
Giraffe and the city, cotton lady fit t-shirt, felt applique, size S/36. Sold

Giraffes and the city, lady fit t-shirt, red cotton, size S/36, felt appliques. Sold
Hug me!, maxi t-shirt/dress, gray cotton,size M/38. Sold

I'm blue, lady fit t-shirt, size L/40, with felt & tulle appliques. Sold
Kitten's got a gun, lady fit, size L/40, with a heart felt brooch on the sleeve. Sold

Drama queen, lady fit t-shirt with a heart felt brooch on the sleeve, size M/38. Sold
I love to dance, maxi t-shirt/dress, tulle bow. Sold

I'm not afraid of dragons, size M/38, lady fit t-shirt with tulle sleeves.
Business mice, pink long t-shirt, size M/38, tulle sleeves. Sold

I heart biking, maxi t-shirt/dress, blue cotton, size M/38.
If I ruled the world, gray cotton t-shirt with cotton appliques. Sold

I forgot to mention that each t-shirt is unique, hand painted and hand crafted. In the absence of a non-virtual store, I can also say the weight of the fabrics and textures vary, but they all feel very soft to the touch.
I hope you find a favorite t-shirt among them and I'm wishing you a lovely day!

Hello kittens!

2011-03-08T00:52:00.010Z

I wish we all have a happy day today on international women's day! I wish we all feel good in our own skin, wearing our own shoes - however you call it - I wish we all feel we are beautiful.
So... it's good to be back!
I didn't really plan to reopen kitten blog on this special day, it just happened. Let me tell you the long story short: a few months ago I felt I should stop writing. I've had a terribly weird 2010; at some point I felt like not only the last drop had filled the glass, but the water was overflowing. For a while my faith drifted, but then I shook my shoulders, straightened my back and raise my head... I opened my eyes and accepted things as they are, not how I wanted them to be.
You were by my side and gave me support, through your messages or even simple comments. So I remembered why I started kitten - the main thing was to have fun and feel at ease - and I plan to keep it this way.
Thank you, with all my heart!

Leaving the poetry and getting more technical, you’ve probably noticed kittens have a new domain name and a few pages. You have all the information at hand and everything is very easy to ~~click~~ use. I’ve also managed to organize my work better as a portfolio and that is a performance considering the fact that I’ve been saying “I’ll do it tomorrow’ for over a year.
I will soon upload a new logo/header, write all the details on the pages and hopefully own a new online shop.
As usual, I have lots of ideas and fun on my mind... You are welcome here anytime you want, I'm available for thoughts and dreams, jokes and cups of tea (don't worry if they're virtual, our friendship is real).

PS. T-shirt clearance tomorrow, be here!

This is not good-bye...

2010-11-15T18:02:00.006Z

... it's a first decision in a series of changes I am making. I am closing this blog for now, but you can find me and all kitten works on facebook.
For orders or just friendship requests you can also write to me at kittenwear@gmail.com.
Thanks for being around, I will be right back... newer, better, stronger! :-)

Boo!

2010-10-27T02:29:00.007+01:00

Yesterday, while chatting with my dear sister Alice we realized we don't celebrate too many holidays, better said, the holidays listed in the calendar are not enough. So... we decided to invent our own holidays.

We didn't have to think much, the idea for a first holiday just came all of a sudden: October 27 will be Creeps Day for us. We probably felt instinctively that we need to loosen up a bit on the sweet behavior, so we made a plan that tomorrow we'll follow in the footsteps of some kind of a Wednesday Addams, telling people exactly what's on our minds without any gallantry. Seriously, straight face, no kidding. Our bits of talking to people will be spontaneous; right now I don't know what we'll say but here's an example of how our interactions at work could be:

I don't hug.
(colleague) Oh, you're just shy.
Nope, I'm contagious.

or

(colleague) How do I look?
Disturbing.

Well, I'm expecting loads of ~~grins~~ laughter, wish me luck anyways! :-)
What's your idea of a fun day?

Working and playing (How To).

2010-10-21T14:58:00.013+01:00

It's 1 a.m. and I got home. I've been working a part-time job for a month now in a supermarket at the bread and cafeteria department. Yep, I bake and arrange cakes, I carry trays and buckets, I make and serve coffee, cut and pack bread, wash and clean the place and many more. It's not as poetic as it may look, as it all has to be standard and technical. I'm working a lot and during these four hours every day I barely find the time to have a glass of water.
I don't wanna cry much though, it's one of those things that I need to do for now, a part of the plan to follow my dreams. I pay attention to people and games they play (as always), I discover, I learn and I am proud of myself that I can get the best out of any experience. A friend of mine said the other day it's a fine line between getting better and getting bitter. Well, I choose the first option and it takes a lot of strength to be able to do that as I need to go on with my head up.
I was saying in the previous post that I need more time daily. Often, I feel that the only things that keep me straight are just a dream, an image or having tea with him on the sofa when we meet at night. I am not alone, I have a wonderful partner who, by the way, works hard too. Being together makes more sense, we clearly look to the future and believe, we enjoy the present even if it's mostly very tiring (when he says he's my blanket so I'll never be cold, I'm ready start the day all over again).
But getting back to tonight, it's already 3 a.m. and I finally finished the How To post. So here goes, enjoy and try to have as much fun as you can, no matter what.
You will need a blank t-shirt (be it new or older, colored or not), pencil, scissors, pieces of fabric (as different as they are), small pieces of thicker fabric, pins, needle & string, a favorite image to repeat (in my case giraffes, surprise, surprise).

Draw the contour of your drawing on each piece of fabric. You can draw different sizes on the different pieces. Patiently cut along the lines (don't worry if the margins are not perfect, perfect is so yesterday's news). Cut as many figures as you want and start arranging them as a composition on the t-shirt.

Carefully pin the pieces on the t-shirt...

... and cut the eyes (or other elements needed) off the thicker fabric. I used felt, but you can always work with leather, eco-leather, oilcloth. Pin them over the figures and begin sewing on the edges. You don't have to be an expert, I think it looks good with any kind of stitch. You can always add bows, lace, or any other personal touches to make your creation unique...

... and remember to have fun!

One day, I will make things differently. Today is the day.

Perfect Autumn Jewelry SALE...

2010-10-19T02:28:00.007+01:00

... on Biba Bijoux! One of the best news lately, as you can buy original handcrafted items for prices in the range of 3 - 5 euros. Yep, you read it right, it's a real clearance.
The artist's site is in Romanian, but you can easily shop by viewing, choosing and adding to cart. You can also use an online currency converter, or write to her if you have any questions and information you might need, I know she will kindly answer.
There it is, I wish you... happy accessorizing!

Biba Bijoux Sale

Cause...

2010-10-17T20:16:00.008+01:00

... objects don't make time stop.
Cause drawing stops time for me.

How about you? When does time stop for you?

Trust me...

2010-10-11T20:22:00.005+01:00

... it will only get better.
*to Denisa & all supergirls out there.

Computer Love.

2010-10-09T11:23:00.007+01:00

Camyla and Paulo have a computer shop here in Cascais. They are a sweet couple and even if you don't know their language to well they are willing to help. They printed my documents, my business cards and my flyers and they all the time did it in joy.
Paulo ordered a t-shirt, of course it would be with a computer design as he is so passionate about them, and I sketched a drawing. Camyla and I say it's so cute and lovely, but Paulo wants it to be more hi-tech and manly. So until we lose the hearts and the girlish coloring I want to show it to you anyway, in the hope that you catch their good vibe.
Have a cool weekend everyone, be it outdoors or in front of the computer screen, sipping your favorite drink and talking to your dear friends!

Welcome, Autumn.

2010-10-09T02:10:00.010+01:00

It's been raining here for a few days and it looks like autumn has settled on this coast of the Atlantic as well. I am still hoping for some sunny days of a late summer, but for today I put my favorite jeans on, a shirt (and a kitten t-shirt under it, of course) and Marco's dandy scarf over and I went to Cristina's AmorCorvo in Lisbon with the new creations. The t-shirts are all unique, as being done by hand they can never be reproduced exactly the same. Some of the designs are new, some are older and some are upgraded by having wings-like-sleeves.

I couldn't help not to take a shot of the t-shirts hanging next to my name tag as well as the beautiful creations of the talented designers that help making the shop look like a fairytale house.

Lots of kisses to you from... under the umbrella!

To the one whose name I forget.

2010-10-06T18:28:00.006+01:00

When you speak about love
A sky of fire opens up
And shoots great lightning,
but the icy surface you live on freezes it.
The love that you speak of
Is like a dusty wind that goes nowhere
And means nothing.
It’s just an uncomfortable drift.
The love you feel is an illusion
Like your image reflected onto broken mirror pieces.
You just can’t find the clear one.
I don’t love you,
I don’t hate you.
I am not angry anymore,
I am just sad.
I just let you go..

New Kittens.

2010-09-26T23:25:00.011+01:00

I've been wanting to get kitten designs on some other support than textile, and so I thought of experimenting with ceramics. It's not the first time, I've been working with porcelain and clay in the year of 2002 when I had my first art business together with a partner; our works were of liquid ceramics though, the kind that needs to be cooked in a special oven at high temperature. We used to make a lot of bells and decorate them, pots, vases and even lamps - oh, it was very cool.
Now I experimented with another kind of clay, the one that only needs air to dry and harden. I cut the small pieces (circles and squares), I gave them a smooth touch using my fingers, then I let them dry for 24 hours. After that I polished them, I began painting using acrylic colors and I coated them in transparent varnish in the end for a nicer look and longer duration in time.
They turned out to be brooches and I think they're sweet. I hope you like them too, as they will be your presents whenever you're ordering kitten t-shirts. You can have any design you want, you can even match them with the t-shirts if that's your wish. (If you really really want to have one just like that by itself all you have to do is e-mail at kittenwear@gmail.com and I'll send it over)

It's cold, 5 cm ø clay brooch, metal pin on the back, original design, entirely handmade and unique.

It's OK to be mad, 5 cm ø clay brooch, metal pin on the back, original design, entirely handmade and unique.

Kitten Girl I, 5 cm ø clay brooch, metal pin on the back, sand beads, original design, entirely handmade and unique.

Party Bow Tie, 7 x 3 cm clay brooch, metal pin on the back, original design, entirely handmade and unique.

Kitten Girl II, 5 cm ø clay brooch, metal pin on the back, sand beads, original design, entirely handmade and unique.

Family Portrait, 6 x 6 cm clay brooch, metal pin on the back, felt applique, original design, entirely handmade and unique.

You have a lovely fresh week!

I got you baby.

2010-09-23T21:43:00.004+01:00

Marco remembered yesterday he hadn't checked my blog in a while, so he began to browse and read it with joy in his eyes. Then, when he said he was through, I noticed the joy had disappeared a bit and I asked what happened. He smiled and said in a low voice: I was hoping you wrote something about us again (sigh) ...
So I decided in enthusiasm that today I'll write about us, mainly to make him happy... But what to write? I am staring at the blank screen on which there are only emotions and feelings dancing, no words, no words at all. On the same blank screen I see paths connecting and uniting like of a labyrinth from the past. I pursue my way out with him by my side.
I see pastel colors enriched with red spots every now and then. There are also bright lights flickering. In this picture, there are also some stairs ascending. We wipe the dust off of them together.
Right now, this is how I can tell you best what he is to me. It's how I can explain intimacy without describing it. You also know how it is: it's only you that can really see and feel the image in your painting. And oh, it's so beautiful...

PS. They say our love won't pay the rent... But actually love keeps us fighting for it, so in the end it really pays the rent. Take this, Socrates. :-)

This week's insights.

2010-09-20T14:42:00.007+01:00

SkyTurtle's Planning world domination handbag tutorial and pattern, a wonderful creation that inspires me to work and will also accompany my daily walks (as I won it and she send it, yay).

The-trees-of-don't-worry-about-a-thing t-shirt, original design, hand painted, hand sewn on a cotton turquoise t-shirt. It's one of a kind and it's available on size S/36.

Bonnie Parker & Clyde Barrow, proving the foundations of a cool partnership are always the same, no matter if we Smith & Wesson or not. :-)

What are YOUR insights for the week?

How to... have a fresh t-shirt

2010-09-14T20:50:00.012+01:00

Hi! Today I am going to tell you how to wear your autumn. You will need the following: t-shirt or blouse, a few plants or leaves that you like (and you can find on the ground), textile paint, medium brush, water, tissues, blank papers (not newspapers). Let's begin...

... with very important work cautions: you might want to thoroughly organize everything, so that you avoid unwanted paint spots all over the place including the t-shirt. Don't forget to place paper inside the t-shirt so the back doesn't get printed too. Choose the plants.

Take one, put it on a piece of paper, start applying paint with the brush, then place it on the t-shirt. Cover the painted plant with another piece of paper and press lightly. Remove the paper and the plant. Wash the brush and repeat as many times you want, changing the plants and colors.

Correct the design by adding color drops with a fine brush - I used golden tint for the final touch.
Here it is:

Have lots of fun creating your own :-)

The trees-of-don't-worry-about-a-thing...

2010-09-06T23:19:00.003+01:00

... should grow in our gardens or in front of our buildings, on everyone's street.
We should take care of these trees, watering them with a bit of easiness and laughter, feeding their soil with unity.
We should be able to pick their fruits anytime we need them cause they should be at hand, so close that we could take a bite every time we're hungry for hope or thirsty for trust.
The trees-of-don't-worry-about-a-thing should always arise in front of our eyes. Even through the thickest fog.

We rock!

2010-09-04T09:10:00.004+01:00

Olà, good morning! Today I want you to meet Adina, a beautiful girl and a pilot so passionate about flying, so trustful to spread her wings.
I am proud to have created her t-shirt and very happy to know such a courageous, strong woman.

New...

2010-09-03T14:00:00.003+01:00

... Well, well, what can they be? :-) Stay tuned for their story: more photos and details to come!